Columbus Day, a nationally recognized federal holiday, falls on Monday, Oct. 8 this year. While it is an opportunity for some to sleep in on a Monday, the holiday itself is also interesting.
Columbus Day remembers Italian explorer Christopher Columbus’ long journey across the Atlantic Ocean to the “New World." The voyage was victorious when land was first spotted on Oct. 12, 1492.
The day is also considered a celebration of Italian heritage, as well as a huge shopping day in the U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is responsible for making the holiday a federal one in 1937.
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